Shah Rukh’s breakthrough in television came with Fauji, helmed by the jovial Colonel Raj Kapoor, who appeared on Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai to talk about the actor

Shah Rukh was already acting in another serial titled Dil Dariya at that time and shot for Fauji during lunch breaks

Speaking about Colonel Kapoor, Shah Rukh said, “I never thought I could act on screen. Let me share a story: After my father passed away, my mother and I were searching for a house to rent. When we found one, my mother insisted that I see it first before confirming. When asked where I was, she replied, “He’s off acting.” Kapoor’s son-in-law Kamal Dewan suggested I go to him, who was directing a serial. That’s how Fauji, which was aired in 1989 and had thirteen episodes, came to be”

Fauji served as Colonel Kapoor’s homage to the Indian Army, presenting a realistic portrayal of cadet life as young men trained to become commandos. Shah Rukh was initially designated to land a smaller role while Kapoor’s son Bobby was to play one of the leads, Abhimanyu. But Bobby, who was already the cameraman, had to bow out

Shah Rukh has been destiny’s child in that sense, or probably was always at the right place at the right time. His two big Bollywood hits, Darr and Baazigar, landed in his kitty just like that

How Shah Rukh landed Fauji, over and above the rigour he showed, is funny, to say the least. At the launch of Samar Khan’s and Sonali Kokra’s book SRK: 25 Years of a Life, he recounted, “I went there, I auditioned and he gave me a sweet role—in the whole Fauji serial, the Colonel orders me to go and count the crows on the tree. I would run and say, ‘There are four crows’. This was my role in the whole serial. I thought this was so strange… How could I tell my family that this was my role? … I did that and it was one of the nicest roles, and they’ve all loved me like a family. I am not saying this with false humility, but maybe the goodness I have at this age is because of the wonderful men and women I’ve met in my life"

Amina Shervani, who wrote and acted in Fauji (as Kiran Kochar), said that for its time, Fauji was an extremely expensive show to make. It was costing nearly Rs 2 lakh per episode to shoot ad was also facing a four-year delay in its pilot launch

The Fauji team rallied in 1988 to ensure an early release the following year. They obtained permissions from the Ministry of Defence, Doordarshan and the Army headquarters. Despite challenges, the dedicated team pooled their talents and resources to bring the series to fruition

This was the late 1980s and the turmoil in Punjab meant that procuring materials such as fuel for the demolition and explosion scenes was difficult, as the authorities had put strict rules in place. And so, for the scenes in the show, these had to be sourced from Shah Rukh’s mother, who owned a kerosene company

When Fauji was aired, it resonated with people in a big way. Shah Rukh’s charm captivated viewers, propelling him to the forefront of the show. His character, Abhimanyu, became central to the story, showcasing Shah Rukh’s knack for both romance and action. This was the first time he started becoming a household name

One of the many fans of Shah Rukh from that era is my own mother, Ellora Basu. When I first told her I am working on this book, she recounted to me how her love for Shah Rukh dates back to the late 1980s. “Watching Fauji was like witnessing the birth of a superstar. Shah Rukh Khan’s charm as Abhimanyu Rai was not to be missed, and we knew he was destined for greatness from the very first day the show aired" 

As a child of that time, she told me how there was a general sense of fatigue with the trope of the ‘Angry Young Man’ that ruled movies and television then. “I wasn’t interested in television until Fauji came along. That was a young show. It had stories that my siblings and I could relate to. The show brought in young people to television viewing

A large part of our love was because of Shah Rukh. He was always a sincere actor, but more than anything else, he had the ability to charm you. It could be called screen presence, but in his unique goofy, boy-next-door way, he was someone you’d want to root for in a story. That’s the sign of a hero!”